NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2012-2013 Eligibility Summary, Rules & Regulations

AGE • Student may not participate if he/she becomes 19 years of age on or before August 31.

ATTENDANCE • Must be in attendance 85% • cannot miss more than 13.5 days in the previous 90-day semester • This includes all absences • excused and unexcused

ATTENDANCE • Attendance is regulated by CMS policy in terms of length of day required to be counted in attendance. • Local attendance policy may be more stringent in terms of counting/earning credit for courses.

ACADEMICS • Must pass a minimum load of course work the previous semester to be eligible at any time during the semester. Any student, including seniors, must also pass the minimum load even if they need fewer courses for graduation. • All students must also meet local promotion standards, set by CMS and Myers Park HS. • Courses must be approved for credit, (i.e., audited courses would not count).

ACADEMICS • Minimum load is defined as five (5) courses in the traditional school schedule. • Minimum load is defined as three (3) courses on the traditional 90 minute “block” schedule. This applies to all student athletes, including seniors.

ACADEMICS • If the school is on an A/B form of “block” scheduling, a student must pass six (6) of eight (8) courses during what would traditionally be defined as a semester. • No work previously passed by a student may be submitted as part of a minimum load.

ACADEMICS • A student not eligible at the beginning of the semester is not eligible at any time during the semester. • Exception: a student who receives an incomplete or is awaiting a final grade due to EOC re-testing or any other state mandated testing, which causes him/her to fail to meet minimum scholastic requirements is ineligible until the course is satisfactorily completed. Eligibility is restored immediately.

ENROLLMENT/RESIDENCE • School assignment is based on the residence of the parent or legal custodian (court ordered custody, not guardian) within the administrative unit. • Student must live with the parents or legal custodian.

ENROLLMENT/RESIDENCE • A “legal custodian” is a person or agency awarded legal, court-ordered custody of a child. • A student may not have two residences for eligibility purposes.

ENROLLMENT/RESIDENCE • Student must be properly enrolled at the member school no later than the 15th day of the present semester, and must be in regular attendance at that school.

NCHSAA REGULATIONS • Falsification of information in terms of eligibility will result in the student athlete(s) being declared ineligible for a period of 365 days from the point of notification to the NCHSAA. • Student athlete will be prohibited from involvement in all athletic-related activity for the 180-day school year and any school-sponsored activity(s) during the summer.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS • Student must receive a medical examination once every 365 days by a duly licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physicians assistant. • Students absent from athletic practice for five (5) or more days due to illness or injury shall receive a medical release by a physician licensed to practice medicine before re-admittance to practice or contests.

NCHSAA REGULATIONS • A student must not be convicted of a felony in this or any other state, or be adjudicated as a delinquent for an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult in this or any other state.

NCHSAA REGULATIONS • A student may not play, practice or be on the roster if ineligible. • This does not apply to summer workouts, but the student should be enrolled in your school. • There shall be no Sunday practice in any sport. This includes the assembling of athletic squads (full teams or selected individuals) for purposes ofviewing films, chalk talks, or other materials pertaining to the coaching of the team.

NCHSAA REGULATIONS • A student may not dress for a game or scrimmage when he/she is not eligible to participate in the game. • If serving an “ejection”, student may be in the bench area but may not be in uniform. • If ejected, coach may not be on the premises during the contest and is not allowed to communicate with the coaches/team during the contest.

NCHSAA REGULATIONS • Tobacco Products, Alcoholic Beverages and Controlled Substances at Game Site: “Participants, coaches, and other team representatives and game officials, including chain crew, official scorers and timers, should not use any tobacco product, alcoholic beverage or controlled substance at a game site; violation of the policy will be disqualification from the contest.”

Player/coach ejection or Disqualification • Any student athlete and/or coach who is ejected or disqualified for unsporting action must complete the STAR SPORTSMANSHIP program before being eligible to return to competition. Cost of the program is $7.00 to the school. • Fax a copy of the STAR SPORTSMANSHIP CERTIFICATE to Mark Dreibelbis @ • 919/240-7396.

EJECTION POLICY • FLAGRANT CONTACT added as a provision to the ejection policy. • Flagrant contact includes, but is not limited to combative acts such as: • Maliciously running over the catcher/fielder without attempt to avoid contact • Excessive contact out-of-bounds or away from playing action that is unwarranted and extreme in nature • Tackling/taking down a player dangerously in a malicious manner • Illegally hitting or cross-checking an opponent in an excessive manner with the Lacrosse stick (crosse) • Flagrant Contact carries same penalty as all other NCHSAA Ejection Policy criteria – 1 game in football and 2 games in all other sports. • When the combative act causes an opponent to retaliate, it is a fight and carries a double penalty.

SPORTS MEDICINE: CONCUSSIONS • A concussion is a traumatic injury to the brain and presents a wide variety of signs and symptoms • Headache • Confusion • Amnesia (not remembering events before or after the injury) • Vision changes • Loss of consciousness • Dizziness • Irritability/emotional changes (inappropriate or atypical crying, laughing, etc) • Nausea/vomiting • Fatigue/feeling sluggish/slow/’foggy’ • Having “bell rung’ • Excessive fatigue/drowsiness • ANY sign/symptom after a blow to the head is a concussion until proven otherwise

SPORTS MEDICINE: CONCUSSION • A high school athlete should NEVER return to play on the day they suffer a concussion • Returning an athlete to play before complete resolution of symptoms can lead to recurrent concussion, prolonged post-concussion symptoms, OR even ‘Second Impact Syndrome’ (which is often fatal)

SPORTS MEDICINE: Gfeller-Waller Concussion Law • An athlete with suspected concussion cannot return to play until he/she is cleared by a licensed medical physician • The Return to Play Form must be presented prior to practicing and/or playing again • Athletes, parents, coaches and all involved with program must receive education regarding signs and symptoms of concussions • All must sign a form indicating the education session has been conducted • All schools must develop and post an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) • Note: This information, along with the necessary forms are available on NCHSAA web site

SPORTS MEDICINE: CONCUSSIONS Managing concussions is difficult even for well-trained and experienced medical providers. Coaches, you do not want this responsibility (or liability). Take home point: At the end of the day, it’s not an athlete’s knee, ankle, or elbow… it’s his or her brain and you cannot get this one wrong… • “WHEN IN DOUBT, SIT THEM OUT.”

Myers Park Athletics Expectations The goal of the Myers Park athletic department is to provide opportunities for student-athletes to excel in teamwork, sportsmanship, self-discipline, acceptable personal and social behavior, and character. Members of teams and organizations must always serve as exemplars of high moral character and must demonstrate appropriate academic commitment, which is expected of all students. Participation in high school athletics at Myers Park is “a privilege, not a right”.

Lost equipment • Obligations • All athletes are required to replace lost uniforms or damaged equipment either by payment or with the equivalent of the lost article. Athletes are responsible for clearing all obligations with their coaches before participating or practicing with another sport (good standing). If an athlete fails to take care of his/her financial responsibilities to the athletic department he/she will be ruled ineligible .

MPHS Game day dress code Athletes are encouraged to dress in an appropriate manner whenever they represent Myers Park High School • Must dress appropriately during the school day (refer to MPHS Student Handbook), at practice and for all games. • GAMEDAY ATTIRE: NO pants below the waist, T-shirts, hats, headphones etc.

Citizenship All athletes must work to their academic potential in the classroom. They must also display good school conduct at all times. Disciplinary action taken by the Administration may be supplemented by additional disciplinary action by the Athletic Department.

SOCIAL MEDIA • Due to recent technology, student-athletes must use caution when using social media as a means of communicating. Positive remarks or “tweets” towards teams/teammates/coaches/school are welcomed. Negative or bullying/degrading comments could result in receiving disciplinary action by school or coaching personnel.

Discipline The coach may immediately suspend a player for inappropriate behavior detrimental to the team and school. Any suspension period of more than one week shall be determined by a meeting of the athlete’s coach or coaches, and the Athletic Director

Substance abuse • The NCHSAA, CMS and MPHS emphatically oppose the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs by student-athletes, coaches and officials. The use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs is prohibited. Medical research clearly substantiates the fact that the uses of these or any mood modifying substances produce harmful effects on the human organism. • The student who wishes to experiment with such substances should remove himself from the team before he/she jeopardizes team performance, team reputation, team success, and physical harm to himself/herself or teammates. • Tobacco (In all forms): research emphasizes that the use of tobacco is physically harmful to young adults. The harm caused by this substance is not only a health problem. The community follows the progress of young athletes and any deviation from accepted training rules marks one as unwilling to “pay the price” If one squad member breaks the rules, the whole team is affected adversely

Substance abuse • Alcohol:There is no way to justify athletes using alcoholic beverages, even though social pressure may be hard to resist. The people who would like to draw the athlete into their drinking session will be the first to criticize them if they do not produce in game situations. • Drugs: Simply stated, drug abuse is the consumption of any chemical substance or the smoking of some plant derivatives for the purpose of mood modification. The use or misuse of drugs is a social problem. Students with a strong sense of purpose have no need for mood modifiers.

VIOLATIONS (effective beginning July 30, 2012) If occurred in season or out of season, with substantiated evidence, admission or criminal conviction (24/7): Process: Coach will contact the student-athlete and hold a conference discussing actual facts of violation. If found to be substantiated. The Coach will hold a conference with student-athlete, parent and the Athletic Director

FIRST OFFENSE in Athlete’s Career: Suspension for 10% of contests (in season and/or when next sports season begins). The athlete will practice but will not participate in any contest or scrimmage. Reinstatement is contingent upon the athlete complying with written parameters as defined by Head Coach and Administration. SECOND OFFENSE in Athlete’s Career: Suspension from athletics for the remainder of that sport season and following sport season. Reinstatement is contingent upon the athlete complying with written parameters as defined by Coach and Administration. If entering senior year, the student must also complete 20 hours of community service with reinstatement contingent upon the athlete complying with written parameters as defined by Head Coach and Administration. THIRD OFFENSE in Athlete’s Career: Full suspension from all athletic programs for the remainder of the athlete's high school career at Myers Park

SPECIAL NOTE: When serving a school-imposed suspension(ISS or OSS) the student-athlete will be ineligible for all contests, tryouts, and practices during the suspension period. This means they cannot participate (dress out or attend) during the suspension. When serving an athletic suspension, the athlete is expected to demonstrate support for HIS/HER teammates. Failure to adhere to these expectations may extend his suspension and/or affect his/her recognition at the conclusion of the season.

Sportsmanship The following policy statement from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) expresses the concept of sportsmanship as follows: Ethics, integrity, and respect are important values in our daily lives. In the playing arena, they are translated into the word sportsmanship. Good sportsmanship is a vital part of high school athletics and must be reflected in a commitment to emphasize those positive lifetime values taught by interscholastic athletics. Students, Parents and spectators should…. •Realize you represent the school as does a member of a team; therefore, you have an obligation to be a true sportsman, encouraging through behavior the practice of good sportsmanship •Recognize that good sportsmanship is more important than victory by approving and applauding good team play, individual skill and outstanding examples of sportsmanship and fair play exhibited by either team •Remember that the primary purpose of interscholastic athletics is to promote the physical, mental, moral, social and emotional well being of the players, through the medium of the contest •Be modest in victory and gracious in defeat •Respect the judgment and integrity of officials •Fulfill the pledge you sign before each sport season

Athletic website: www.myersparkhighschoolsports.com • Spring sports participation fees are due: Tuesday, Feb. 26th • Links to pay athletics fee is located at the CMS website under departments/ • athletics or MP Athletics website link above • The waiver form for the spring athletics fee would be your child nutrition • letter for free or reduced lunch. Please attach a copy with your packet if • Eligible.

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK IN 2012 - 2013!!!!

NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION